Hedgehog mural at Chelmsford shopping centre raises awareness about falling numbers
Essex Wildlife Trust want people to make their gardens more hedgehog friendly
Last updated 4th Oct 2022
A giant hedgehog painting has been unveiled at the High Chelmer Shopping Centre in Chelmsford.
It took around 9 hours for artist David 'Gnasher' Nash, from Gnasher Murals, to create the piece, which is designed to look like its peering out of the arch in the wall.
Hedgehogs have seen a 30% decline in Essex alone in the last 10 years.
The new mural is aimed at raising awareness about the species and about what humans can do to help hedgehogs thrive.
Bailey Tait from Essex Wildlife Trust said "We've got Hedgehog house building competition on social media, which is free to enter and that you can just tag us in your photos."
"Then also joining up gardens. So creating hedgehog holes in your fences and underneath garden walls so that hedgehogs can roam freely in autumn. And when they come out of hibernation as well."